It is easy to fall in love with eating avocados. Avocados are not just delicious, but a new study also shows how pregnant women can really benefit from eating them.
Avocados are a special plant-based food that is rich in nutrients. They provide many of the essential nutrients required for healthy infant and fetal development. The avocado is a major part of a Mediterranean-style diet. This is because they are low glycemic and contain antioxidants as well as fiber. These are all things proven to help the reduction of disease in many populations.
Avocado Benefits During Pregnancy
- Decreases Risk of Preeclampsia: It contains significant levels of potassium. This will decrease the chance of developing preeclampsia, which is known to decrease blood pressure. It will also lower the risk of future heart issues.
- Good Source of Folate: It has been established that when a pregnant woman does not get enough folic acid or folate, birth defects can result. A fetus will require sufficient amounts of folic acid and folate for proper development and growth of its organs.
- Decreases Weight Gain: Avocados are high in dietary fiber. This means they decrease the chance of significant weight gain. Over 24% of its fiber is soluble. This helps a body’s friendly bacteria improve a person’s metabolic health.
- Helps With Anemia: Deficiency of iron during pregnancy is common. It can result in the development of anemia. Avocados have significant amounts of iron that are important to have during pregnancy.
- Healthy Fat: During pregnancy, there is a need for extra calories for fetus growth. Good fats are necessary during this time. Avocados have omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. They benefit the mother and the unborn baby.
- Helps Digestion: It is common during pregnancy for a woman to experience constipation and stomach issues. Avocado is rich in fiber and can ease bowel movements and aid in digestion.
- Nutrient Absorption: Avocados can provide a pregnant woman with important nutrients and also assist their system with absorbing nutrients from other foods. They help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy greens and more.
- Rich In Minerals: An avocado can be part of a pregnant woman’s daily recommended intake of zinc, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, niacin as well as manganese.
- Vitamins: Avocados are filled with vitamins K, B1, E, B2, C and B5. All of them are an important part of a pregnant woman’s diet for her growing fetus.
- Improves Fetal Brain Development: One cup of avocados has 22 mg of choline. This is essential for fetal nerve and brain development.
- Helps With Morning Sickness: This is a common occurrence during early pregnancy. It can leave a pregnant woman exhausted during the first three months of her pregnancy. Avocados contain significant amounts of vitamin C, which helps with this situation.
- Helps Maintain Good Sugar and Cholesterol Levels: Regularly eating avocados will help a pregnant woman keep her sugar and cholesterol at safe levels during her pregnancy.
- Leg Cramp Relief: They are a common occurrence during pregnancy. Avocados can provide relief from leg cramps. They contain more potassium than bananas. This is a good way to help relieve leg cramps.
- Non-essential Compounds: Avocados have a higher level of many non-essential compounds. This includes lipid-soluble antioxidants, fiber, monounsaturated fats and more. All of these are associated with improvements in breast milk quality, maternal health as well as birth outcomes and more.
Daily Avocado Consumption
According to some reproductive nutritionists, a pregnant woman can’t eat too many avocados. There are many good things they provide, and they are excellent as part of a meal, in green smoothies as well as on their own. They provide important nourishment for both the baby and the womb. Pregnant women need to include avocados in their diet especially during the early part of their pregnancy. This is because its high folate content will help decrease the risk of birth defects.
Pregnancy is a time when a woman may feel out of control. Many women are comforted by knowing there is something they can control during their pregnancy: eating well. It is universally acknowledged that the diet of a pregnant woman will play an important role in her pregnancy, lactation and health of her newborn baby. Multiple studies have suggested that avocados should be a staple in the diet of all pregnant women.